Farah, who was in the front passenger seat, allegedly grabbed about $180 or $190 from Mr Dhall's shirt pocket before the taxi driver ran off.

Police claimed the men removed the taxi's surveillance camera and drove the taxi away, later dumping it.

Husni Muse outside court.Credit:Angela Wylie

Defence lawyers for Muse and Hersi told the court the surveillance footage from the taxi did not show anyone in the back seat punching Mr Dhall.

But Mr Dhall said he was convinced all three men had punched him several times.

He said he had a lump on his head from the attack and still suffered pain.

An earlier court hearing was told that in the alleged second attack on December 30 last year, the three men hailed a cab in Carlton just after 12.30am and, when the driver stopped near the destination, Muse took his iPhone and got out of the cab.

Police said the driver also left the cab in an attempt to have his phone returned, but Muse allegedly took out a 20-centimetre flick knife and pointed it at him. Farah allegedly demanded of the driver: "Give us everything you have or we will kill you."

The men "ransacked" the taxi, police told the court, stealing $2035 cash and then ripping out the vehicle's internal camera. When the driver tried to run, Muse removed his belt from his pants and allegedly wrapped it around the driver's neck.

The committal hearing before magistrate Kate Hawkins continues this afternoon.

As Farah left the court building for lunch, he spat on The Age's photographer.

Mr Ravinder Singh, the second taxi driver allegedly attacked, had been due to give evidence this afternoon but a Punjabi translator was unavailable.